Metal wire has application in numerous fields and industries. For example, Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is a welding process which incorporates the automatic feeding of a continuous, consumable wire electrode that is shielded by an externally supplied gas. Copper-plated steel wire is often used as the consumable wire electrode in MIG welding. Copper-plated steel wire, for use as welding wire, has conventionally been differentiated based on certain characteristics of the wire (e.g., its composition and diameter) that may impact its performance during welding. These characteristics are predictable in that they are generally known prior to and/or controlled during the manufacturing process. Conversely, other characteristics of the welding wire that may impact its performance during welding are unpredictable because they result variably from unintended events arising during the manufacturing or subsequent processing of the wire.